Method of cleaning surfaces.



G. DURHAM & C. W. McGUlRK.

METHOD OF CLEANING SURFACES. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 21, 1915.

1, 1 79,708 Patented Apr. 18, 1916.

METHOD OF CLEANING SURFACES.

Original application filed October 13, 19-18, Serial No. 794,811.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Ar. 18, 1916.,

Divided and this application filed September 21, 1915. Serial No.51,898.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE DURHAM and CHARLES W. MCGUIRK, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Scranton, county of Lackawanna, and Stateof Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful improvements inthe Methods of Cleaning Surfaces, of which the following is aspecification.

Our invention relates to processes of cleaning surfaces, especiallythose of locomotives, engines, and other vehicles, through the use ofwhich process the accumulations of dust, mud, oily particles, and thelike, with which the frames, running gear, and other parts oflocomotives, engines, and other vehicles have become covered in use maybe rapidly and economically removed.

As is well known, the accumulation of foreign matter upon the exteriorof locomotives, engines, and other vehicles is frequently so great as toprevent careful inspection of the various parts, making it. difficultand sometimes, impossible to detect fractures or other imperfectionswhich may cause serious accidents. It is desirable, therefore, that therunning gear and other parts of the locomotive, engine, or other vehiclebe frequently cleaned, and it is customary to clean them by wiping 0dthe foreign matters. This,'however, results in an imperfect cleaning,owing to the difficulty in getting at the complicated parts of therunning gear and in getting the accumulation of material out of the manyrecesses therein. To wash off these accumulations with streams of waterhas proved to be impracticable owing to the presence of oils and greasewith which the accumulations are commonly impregnated.

The object of our invention, therefore, is to provide a process by whichthe accumulations on the locomotive, engine, or' other vehicle mayberapidly removed andthe frame and parts be left clean and free from oiland other foreign matters.

We have discovered that if to a stream of water oil be admitted incomparatively minute regulated quantities and this combined stream ofoil and water be caused to impinge against the surface to be cleanedwith suflicient pressure and velocity a most effective and altogetherunusual action takes place, as the stream removes from the surfacespractically all of the oily accumulations and other deleterious mattersupon the surfaces, leaving them substantially clean and free from thesematters. The most efficient result is obtained if the water be heated.The necessary velocity may be impart-ed to the stream by pressure whichmay be imparted to the stream initially, though more effective resultsare obtained if this pressure be suddenly increased, as, for example, bythe use of proper nozzles or by other pressure increasingdevi ces. Astream ejected from the nozzle at a pressure of about 70 pounds iseffective. In our pending application, Serial No. 794,811, of which thisapplication is a division, we have suggested the use of a stream of airat high velocity, which stream is admitted to the stream of oil andwater either atthe point of ejectment or at a, point between the oilsupply and the point of ejectment, and in said prior application, aswell as in our Patent No. 1,135,001 granted April 13th, 1916, we havedisclosed a suitable apparatus for the carrying out of this process. Itwill be understood, however, that our present process is not dependentupon the use of any particular apparatus, the essential features beingthe feeding of the oil "in minute regulated quantities to the stream ofwater and the conveying of this combined stream at sufficient pressureand consequent velocity against the surface to be cleaned.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows an elevation partly insection of a suitable apparatus for carrying out the process and Fig. 2is a detail partly in section showing the form of nozzle.

Referring to thedrawings, 1 indicates a water supply pipe connectedtoany su1table source of supply of Water under pressure.

This supply may be regulated by valve 2 of suitable construction. A T 3attached to the water supplypipe 1 provides a connection for twobranches of this supply pipe, the main branch 4; being provided at itsdischarge end with a nozzle 5. The branch 4 of the water supply pipeleads to the lower end of a suitable tank 6, which may be of the propersize for containing the quantity of oil. The branch 4* may be controlledby a suitable valve 2*. At its upper end this receptacle is connected tothe water supply pipe l by a pipe 7, the indicator or sight a removablecap or plug 8 also with a gage 9 provided with a drain cock 9 forindicating the level of liquid in the tank. Any suitable form of nozzlemay be employed. The nozzle 5 which is shown is provided with aflattened orifice 5, vwhich has the effect of suddenly increasing thevelocity of the stream at the point of ejectment. It will, of course, beunderstood that, as shown in our pending application above referred to,an ejector may be inserted at a point between the oil supply and thepoint of delivery for the purpose of thus increasing the velocity,although, of course, if the pressure is suflicient no additionalmeansneed be provided for thus increasing the -velocity. As stated above, theimpinging ofthis stream of oil and water against the surface to becleaned practically entirely removes the accumulated oily particles andother matters from the surface, and also leaves the surfaces with a veryslight dressing of oil which preserves them from rust or deterioration.

We have found in practice that the mineral oils, especially those havinga paraffin base, are most effective in carrying out our process.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is: 1

1. The herein described process for cleaning surfaces having thereondeposits of grease and dirt which consists in feeding oil in minuteregulated quantities to'a stream comprisingan excess of water andcausing the combined stream to be impinged against the surface to becleaned at such a high velocity as to disintegrate and remove the saiddeposits therefrom.

2. The herein described process. for cleaning surfaces having thereondeposits of grease and dirt which consists in feeding oil in minuteregulated quantities to a stream containing an excess of water, suddenlyincreasing the velocity of the stream, and causing the stream to beimpinged against the surface to be cleaned at such a high velocity as todisintegrate and remove the said deposits therefrom.

Witnesses:

HARRY A. HARPER, J. B. MEENAN.

